1. Field
The embodiments generally relate to an image forming apparatus and method thereof, and more particularly, to an image forming apparatus to receive print data at a unique data sink address corresponding to a print job so that the print data may be easily distinguished and managed, and to an image forming method of the image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Image forming apparatuses generally print print data generated by terminal devices, such as computers, onto recording media. Examples of such image forming apparatuses include copiers, printers, facsimile machines or multifunction peripherals (MFPs), which combine functions of copiers, printers and facsimile machines in a single system.
Image forming apparatuses which have been widely used in recent years can receive print jobs not only using terminal devices, such as computers, but can also support digital living network alliance (DLNA) standards so as to receive print jobs using various DLNA apparatuses.
DLNA is a standardization organization for digital information technology products, which was established to set the standards so that data, such as music, photos or moving images, are compatible. DLNA aims at establishing a compatible platform based on open industry standards that have been already established, thereby realizing consistency between industries.
It is important for image forming apparatuses to accurately print received print data, and also to appropriately process status information of a print job corresponding to the print data and a print cancel command.
In the DLNA print standard, an operation to create a print job and an operation to transmit actual print data to a printer are separated, and accordingly there is a need for methods to manage and control job IDs of print jobs, which are created in response to a print job creation command, and print data received after the print jobs are created. However, a problem of the DLNA standard is that detailed standards for these required methods are not defined. For example, if print data is received in a different order from an order of IDs for created jobs while a DLNA printer performs a plurality of print jobs, the DLNA printer may not appropriately process status information of print jobs and the print cancel command.